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Tracie Spencer
Rate Your Music - Tracie SpencerHollywood - Tracie SpenceriTunes - Tracie Spencer |birth_place = Waterloo, Iowa, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = | residence = Calabasas, California, U.S. |occupation = | children = | spouse = | education = Columbus High School | height = 5ft 5in (1.65m) | module = |years_active = 1987–present (on hiatus) |label = | associated_acts = |website = }} }} Tracie Monique Spencer (born July 12, 1976)On this Day in Black Music HistoryBillboard - Tracie Spencer is an American singer–songwriter, actress, and model. Spencer is best known for her R&B and pop singles during the late–1980s through the 1990s such as; "Symptoms of True Love" (1988), "This House" (1990), "Tender Kisses" (1991) and "It's All About You (Not About Me)" (1999). A Waterloo native, Spencer's first claim to fame was when she participated on the CBS talent competition television show Star Search; winning the junior vocalist competition in 1987. Following her win on the show, Spencer signed a contract with Capitol Records, at the time the youngest female to do so; releasing three albums with the label. Since 2007, Spencer has taken a hiatus from music; however, she is still modeling and pursuing other interests. Biography Early life and education Born in 1976 to Theresa (née Williams) and Marvin E. Spencer Sr. (1938–2014)WCF Courier - Marvin E. Spencer (1938-2014), a well-known musician, Spencer was the youngest of four children. Spencer was raised in Waterloo, Iowa along with her three siblings; Marvin Jr., Marty and Tricia. Spencer's mother is of Creole and Indian descent; her father was French Canadian and Panamanian.Vibe Magazine - November 1999 The middle child of three, Spencer began singing at the age of three and began modeling in pageant competitions at age five. In addition to singing, Spencer was an honor student who also played basketball in elementary and high school.Ebony Magazine - March 1991JET Magazine - February 10, 1992 Spencer attended Columbus High SchoolPeople - High School Hit-Maker - May 20, 1991, graduating in 1994. Career 1987–92 Spencer performed, produced and directed her first music videos before she was ten years of age. This led to her competing on the CBS televised talent competition Star Search in 1987. Shortly after her stint on Star Search where she won the $10,000.00 junior vocalist prize, Spencer became the youngest female artist to sign a record deal with a major label, Capitol Records,WFC Courier - Where Are They Now? - Tracie Spencer - June 26, 2004 and to release a self-titled debut album on January 16, 1988. Spencer found success with the singles "Hide and Seek", "Symptoms of True Love" and her remake of John Lennon's "Imagine". Spencer's second album, Make the Difference, was released on August 27, 1990. The first single, "Save Your Love", showed an impressive standing at #7 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. Her following single, "This House", became her biggest hit to date reaching #3 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. "Tender Kisses", one of her best-known ballads, hit #1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and made her the youngest female artist to receive the ASCAP songwriter of the year award in 1992.JET Magazine - People Are Talking About... - July 6, 1992 The other singles, "This Time Make It Funky" and "Love Me", charted relatively well on The Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. 1993–99 Spencer served on the board of the Children's Defense Fund as a teen and was given the Martin Luther King Christian Leadership Award for being a positive role model to youth and traveling across the US and abroad as part of a "Stay In School" program. Spencer made a guest appearance on the hit ABC sitcom, Family Matters as well as commercials, in 1993 and recorded the song "I'll Be There for You" for the 1997 film, Good Burger, "The Rain" for Down in the Delta, and Girlfight, starring Michelle Rodriguez. Spencer also modeled for Tommy Hilfiger, Chanel, and Dollhouse, which led to her being a part of New York City and Los Angeles' fashion weeks during 1999 and 2000, being styled by Derek Khan, being signed to "NEXT" modeling agency and appearing in numerous magazines. On June 29, 1999, Spencer released Tracie, which featured the singles "It's All About You (Not About Me)" and "Still in My Heart". 2003–06 Beginning in the early–2000s, Spencer started singing background vocals on hip-hop songs for rappers such as Kanye West ("Slow Jamz" and "Never Let Me Down" from The College Dropout), 50 Cent ("Back Down" from Get Rich Or Die Tryin'), and Eve as well as songwriting for other artist's projects. Spencer acted in the short film, A Tale of Two Sisters; in 2004 and in 2006, she performed in a play called Choices in Los Angeles, California. Discography Studio albums Singles Cover versions Her song "My First Broken Heart" was covered by Filipina actress/singer Iya Villania, released in 2008 on her album Finally!. References External links * Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American singers Category:American child singers Category:American dance musicians Category:American pop singers Category:American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters Category:American sopranos Category:American people of Creole descent Category:American people of Native American descent Category:American people of French-Canadian descent Category:American people of Panamanian descent Category:Capitol Records artists Category:American soul singers Category:Singers from Iowa Category:Writers from Waterloo, Iowa Category:Songwriters from Iowa